Circuit for arc and incandescent electric lights



(No Model.)

' H. P. BROWN.

CIRCUIT FOR ARC AND INGANDESGENTELEGTRIO LIGHTS.-

No. 325,389. PatentedvSept. 1, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT .Orrrcn.

HAROLD P. BROW'N, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT FOR ARC AND INCANDESCENT ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

EEPECIFICATL ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,389, dated September 1, 1885.

Application filed December 1!), 1884. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Operating Arc and Incandescent Electric Lights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to systems or means of combining or operating, in a single circuit supplied by one source of electric energy, one or more are lights or other translating devices which require a high-tension current, and one or more incandescent lights or other translating devices which require a quantity-current; and it relates more particularly to improvements in that class of such systems wherein a single shunt-circuit having an automaticallyvariable resistance is employed for each group ofincandescent-lamps to compensate for the resistance of such lamps of the group as may not be in use at any given time; and the invention consists in automatically changing the resistance of the shunt-circuit by means of an electro-1notive device located in the main circuit, but which is normally short-circuited, and which is put in operation as occasion may require when a lamp in the parallel group happens to be lighted or extinguished by means of an electro-motive device arranged in the local or incandescent lamp circuit in parallcl like one of the lamps.

The accompanying drawing, which forms a partol' this specification, is a diagram view illustrating my invention and showingthe ar raugement of circuits.

In said drawing, A may represent adynaino machine or othersource of electric energy; A, the main circuit leading therefrom and in which may be arranged in series a number of are lights or other translating devices, a, requiring a high-tension current.

B represents a local or incandescent lamp circuit in which a number of incandescent lamps, b, are arranged in the usual manner, in parallel, on a number of cross-wires, b, which are provided with switches b for turning the lamps on or off.

0 is a shunt-circnit leading from a point, 00, at which the shunt and lamp circuit wires diverge to a point, x, where said circuits re unite. The shunt-circuit O is provided with an automaticallywariable resistance, preferably consisting of a number of resistance coils, c c c c 0 0 a, corresponding to the number of lamps in the parallel group. These resistance coils may preferably be arranged in parallel like the lamps on separate wires f, and the resistance of each coil should in such case equal that of one lamp.

D is the movable core of a double solenoid, which carries a bridgepieca-d, that makes and breaks connection between the contactpiece d and the several contact-pieces d' d d" d d d (i thus putting one or more of the coils c c 0 850., in the shunt-circuit as the core of the solenoid moves to the right or left.

E is an electro-magnet whose coil is on a cross-wire, I), like one of the lamps, and is of high resistance, so that a small fraction only of the lamp-circuit current will always pass through it. Its armature-lever E and corresponding contact-point, E, are connected by wires 9 g with the coil D of the double solenoid; and this magnet E has at its opposite end a similar armature-lever, E, and contactpoint E", which are connected by the wires g" with the opposite coil, I)", of said solenoid. A branch wire, 9', connects the wires 9 and g", and a branch wire, 9, leads from the point x to the wire The main-circuit current, dividing at 00, passes part through the lampcireuit B and part through the shunt-circuit C, and reuniting at .20 passes thence along wires g, lever E, contact E, wire 9, wires g" 9', contact E", lever E, wire y, and back through wire y to the main-circuit wire A. The coils 1) and D of the solenoid, it will thus be seen, are both short-circuited, and so remain, except momentarily, when it is neccssary to vary the resistance in the shunt-circuit by reason of the lighting or extinguishment 01' some of the lamps in the parallel group. hen an additional lamp is lighted, the current that passes through the coil. of the magnet E is diminished, thus permitting the spiing e to withdraw the armature-lever E and thus break connection between the shortcircuit wires 9 thus causing the current to pass from the point a? through the coil D of the solenoid, and thereby drawing its movable core D with its bridge-piece (l to the right, thus breaking connection with one of the contact-pieces d d, &c., and thus cutting out one of the parallel resistancecoils c 0 0 &c., which increases the aggregate resistance of th'e shunt-oi rcuit. The moment this is done the portion of the current through the lampcircuit is again increased to the proper amount to supply such increased number of lamps, and the coil of the magnet E again reccives its normal amount and the magnet is restored to its normal strength, thereby drawing up the armature-lever E so as to make connection at E and again re-establish the current through the short-circuit wires \Vhen one of the lamps in the parallel group happens to be extinguished, the force of the magnet E is thereby momentarily increased above its normal amount, thus drawing up the armature-lever E and breaking connection between the short-circuit wires g", forces the current to pass through the coil D at the opposite end of the solenoid, thus moving the core D and bridge-piece d to the left and cansing it to make connection with an additional contact-piece d d d", &c., and thus by putting an additional parallel resistance-coil c c 0*, &c., in the shunt-circuit diminishes its aggregate resistance, so that a greater portion of the currcnt will pass through the shunt-circuit and a less through the lampcircuit, to correspond to the diminished number oflampsin the parallel group. The moment this is done. the current through the coil of the magnet E being again reduced to its normal amount, the spring 6' draws back the armature-lever, thus re-establishing the connection between the short-circuit wires g the same as before. The force of the spring 6 is so adjusted that it will not withdraw the lever E until the magnet E falls somewhat below its normal strength, and the spring 0 is so adjusted that it will keep the lever E withdrawn, except when the strength of the magnet E is increased slightly above its normal amount. Connection is thus made at both 11* and E", except momentarily,when the force of the magnet E is varied one way or the other by the lighting or extinguishmcnt of some of the lamps in the parallel group.

R is the switch-lever in the main circuit A by which thelocal circuit B is opened or closed. This lever is connected by an arm, 7:, with the escapement 7t" of a clock mechanism, K, by which the time the incandescent lamps are in operation may be indicated. In .case the core 1) and its bridge-piece (I should be left to the right when the current 13 is cut off by the switch K, or other cause, so that the shuntcircuit should be thus left either entirely open or with only one or two resistance-coils in the same, it is obvious that when the current is again turned on the lamp-circuit, if only one or two lamps should happen to be lighted or turned on they would be likely to suffer injury. To guard against such contingency and danger, I provide a device for pulling the core D entirely to the left, so as to put all the parallel resistance-coils c c c, &c., in the shunt circuit whenever the current is turned off the local circuit B. Any suitable device for this purpose may be employed. A convenient means is to arrange an electro-magnet, L, in the circuit 13, the armaturelever lot which is operated by a spring, I, to release a spring, weight, or other force, L, connected by a cord, 1*, with the core D whenever the current in the local circuit 13 ceases. The cord Z passes one or more times around a pulley, Z, which carries on its shaft a ratchet, Z, that engages the end of the armature-lever. The spring I, by raising the lever Z, releases the pulley, so that the weight can descend and pull the core I) to the left. NVhen a current is on the circuit B, the electro magnet L pulls the lever Z into engagement with ratchet Z, thus holding the pulley from revolving, so that the weight can have no effect. At the same time that the switch K is opened the weight L will of course be drawn up as soon as the lamps are turned on by the solenoid D. As shown in the drawings, but one lamp is turned on, and consequently the position of the contact-piece cl is such as to make connection with all the contact-pieces d d d", &c., thus putting all the parallel resistance 0 0 0 &c., in the shuntcircuit.

I do not herein claim, broadly, a shunt-circuit having an antomaticallyvariable resistance operated by the lamp-circuit to compensate for such lamps or other translating de vices in the parallel group as may not happen to be in use from time to time, as that forms the subject-matter of a separate application heretofore filed by me under date of September 29, 1884..

I claim- 1. The combination of a local or incandescent-lamp circuit, B, having two or more incandescent lamps or other translating devices arranged in parallel group, with an electro motive device or magnet arranged in said circuit in parallel like one of the lamps, a shuntcircuit having an automatically-variable resistance, and an electro-motive device normally short-circuited, arranged in the main circuit, for varying the resistance in the sh u lit-circuit, said electro-motive device being put in operation by said electromotive device in said local circuit B, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of main or high tension circuit A with local or lamp circuit B, having incandescent lamps b, and electro-magnet E, arranged in parallel, shunt-circuit O, hav ing resistances c c, &c., arranged in parallel, and an electroanotive device operating a con tactmaker, (l, to vary the resistance in said shunt as occasion may require, said electromotive device being put in operation by said electro-magnet E in the lamp-circuit current, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of a main circuit with a local or incandescent-lamp circuit having a group of incandescent lamps and an electromagnet, E, in parallel, shunt-circuit 0, having variable resistance, a contact-maker, d, for varying said resistance in said shuntcircuit, and a double solenoid normally short-circuited in the main circuit and having a movable core, D, for operatingv said contact maker (1, said magnet E operating to put one or the other coil of said double solenoid in the main circuit and cause the same to thus increase or diminish the resistance of the shunt-circuit, according as the resistance in the lamp circuit is increased or diminished by the lighting or extinguishment of some of the lamps, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a local or incandescent lamp circuit B, having two or more incandescent lamps in parallel group, with a shuntcircuit, 0, having an automatically-variable resistance, an electromagnet or relay the coil of which is arranged in parallel with said lamps, and an electromotive device,nor mally short-circuited, set in operation by said relay for varying the resistance of said shunt, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with a main or high tension circuit, of a number of incandescent lamps in multiple are or parallel group, a shunt-circuit around the group of lamps having a variable resistance included therein, a relay included in a branch circuit, and an electro-motive device set in operation by said relay for varying the resistance of said shunt, substantially as specified.

6. The combination,with a main or are light circuit, of a group of incandescent lamps in multiple arc, a variableresistance shunt around said group, an electroniagnet or relay included in a branch circuit, and a double solenoid for varying the resistance of said shunt, the action of said solenoid being controlled by said relay, substantially as specified.

7. The combination,with a main or are light circuit, of a group of incandescent lamps in multiple are, a variable resistance shunt around said group, an electro-magnet or relay in a branch circuit, two switches or contactpieces operated by said relay, and a double solenoid one coil of which is energized by the movement of one of said switches or contact-pieces and the other by the other of said switches or contact-pieces, and a movable eon tact or device actuated by the movable core of said solenoid forvarying the resistance of said shunt, substantially as specified.

8. The combination,with a main or arclight circuit, of a group of incandescent lamps in multiple are, a variable resistance shunt around said group, an electro-magnet or relay in a branch circuit, an electro-motive device set in operation by said relay for varying the resistance of said shunt, and a device for reducing the resistance of said shunt to a minimum when the current ceascs,in order to guard against injury when the current is again turned on.

9. The combination,with a main or are light circuit, of a group of incandescent lamps in multiple are or parallel, a shunt around said group having a variable resistance consisting of a number of separate resistances arranged in parallel, a relay included in a branch circuit, and an electro-motive device set in operation by said relay for varying the resistance of said shunt, substantially as specified.

HAROLD P. BROW'N.

\Vitnesses:

H. M. llIUNDAY, EDMUrTi) ADOOCK. 

